Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-11-19

Stuckey presented himself at Hammer
smith Police Station and asked for
assistance. He made at the same Tins
a statement from whichin addition Il
the above facts, it appeared that II
consequence of business unexpectedly
OBTAINING him in town, he had not
reached home until close upon seven
o'clock. He then found no trace oil
his father or OF his brother, and after
waiting for the return OF the servant
and making inquiries about the neigh
borhood, he had come to the conclu.
sion that on being left alone his father
had, for the first time on record, tax.
en- it into his head to 90 out by him.
self, and had either lost himself or
met with some worse mischanee.
Subsequent events confirmed the
latter theory. The Rev. Alfred Stuck
ey, on being communicated with by
telegram next day. replied thuG he
had left his father at home in his chair
at 5:15 on the previous evening. On
the same day Mr.. Stuckey's hat was
found in the osier-beds at Chiswlck. A
day or two later walking stick. which
had certainly belonged to him, was
/ picked up IN the river at Chelsea. The
| police continued the hue and cry with
undated vigor, but after these dis
coveries only one theory of the old
eentleman's disappearance seemed
tenable. There was no motive to
suggest his having met with foul play.
tie had neither the means nor the
strength to have travelled to any
distance. The conclusion seemed in-
evitable that he had strayed out for
some purpose-perhaps for no other
reason than that his days outing had
unduly excited him-and had some
how fallen into the river. 1t was q
considerable time, however, before
the discovery OF the body put the old
mans fate beyond question. During
the interval Ephraim Stuckey was
more than once summoned to differ
ent points between Kew Bridge and
Gravesend for the purpose of inspect.
ing the CHASTITY human fiotsam and
jestam of tine river, but without result.
Four weeks had nearly elapsed
when he received information
that the body of an elderly
man had been found at Dent.
lord, the linen of which appeared to
have been marked with an "S." The
features were all but unrecognizable,
but, after such inspection as was pos
sible, Ephraim without hesitation
pronounced the remains to be those
of his father.
The inquest which followed, and
which was. of course, held at Deptford,
added only one additional fact to
those above stated. The medical
evidence showed that there was a Sc.
we're confusion on the head, which had
probably been caused before death.
and the doctor was strongly OF
opinion that the deceased had been
stunned by this blow, and then
thrown into the river. There was
nothing, however, to point to def.
mite conclusion, and alter hearing the
evidence of the Rev. Alfred Stuckey
and his brother as to the mental con.
dition of the deceased, the jury re.
turned a verdict, of Found Drowned. )"
together with other documents
A certificate of this verdict,
relating to the death, was sub
sequentiy lodged by the Rev. Al
fred Stuckey, as administrator OF the
deceased, with the Monument Assur.
ance Company, in whose office the in
surance or Martin Stuckey's life had
been effected.
About week after this was done.
Mr.. Capper, the manager Of the Mon
ument Assurance Company, was
shown into the office of Mr. George
Georye, the Company's solicitor.
'Well," he said, ''any result from
the inquiries in Stuckey's case?"
Eyes, little" replied Mr.. George;
"but am afraid nothing that is much
use to us at present"
1t is not case of suicide?"
"Judge for yourself. remember
that a. the inquest the Rev. Alfred |
Stuckey stated that he returned with |
ais father from Richmond about five |
and left quarter OF an hour later in
order TO catch the 5:35 Metropolitan
rain to Kings cross"
II do"
Every well. Now Ihave ascertained
hat Mr.. Alfred and the deceased took
! carriage at Richmond not long be-
ore four P. NJ, but were only driven
rs far as Barnes, where, at their own
'equest, they were put down on |
LIZ Wv paul ildNG lOunu C1e
lyman, who says that he set
hem down on the towpath nearly
opposite Chiswick about 4:3O, and |
Jaw them walk away eastward. We
nave also got hold of an old woman.
yho saw them on the towpath near
dammersmith Bridge, but whether
below or above she cannot state,
Walking in the direction of Putney.
She says it was within a few minutes
u five O'Clock, and just getting dusk.
IN that day, October IS, thesun, you
viii find, set at 4:57. Now it is not
OF course, that Alfred
may have been on the tow
,ath, walking towards Putney about
O'Clock, and yet have taken the de-
eased home, as he states, and have
afterwards caught the 5:35 train: but,
0 my mind, this evidence throws grave
loubt on his story. Remember we
ave only Alfred Stuckey's word for
that the deceased ever went home
It ali. On the other hand, there is a
trong presumption that some time
liter five O'Clock that night ne found
rs way into the river, having been,
ccording to the medical testimony,
nocked on the head first, presumably
y some one who had a motive for
ding so, which q stranger to him
Yould not have.
you think he was murdered?"
~ form no theory at present, but
hink that Messrs. Alfred and Ephraim
tuckey between them know more
bout their fathers disappearance
han they have yet disclosed. and that
he evidence wenow have offers a very
onvenlent means OF squeezing the
ruth out of them"
''Then what do you advise?n